KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — March 29, 2017, is now officially Vietnam Veterans Day in the state of Michigan, after an 11-year-old girl asked her state senator to pass a resolution.
Alice Kraatz brought to the attention of Sen. Margaret O’Brien, R-Portage, that Michigan was one of only eight states that had not recognized Vietnam Veterans Day by resolution or legislation. Sen. O’Brien went ahead and introduced Senate Resolution #35, which passed on Tuesday.
Sen. O’Brien represents the 20th District, which includes all of Kalamazoo County, and serves as chairwoman of the Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Homeland Security.
She will assist with the laying the wreaths at two ceremonies in Kalamazoo on Wednesday to commemorate the day. The first will take place at the Vietnam Memorial outside Kanley Chapel on Western Michigan University’s campus at 5 p.m. Free parking is available in Lot 41 on WMU’s campus.
The second ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. at the Bronson Park Vietnam Monument. Free parking is available on the street. Both events are free and open to the public.
All Vietnam-era veterans in attendance will be individually recognized and receive a special commemorative pin issued by the Department of Defense. The Vietnam era spans Nov. 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975. Veterans will be recognized regardless of where they served.
Capt. Konstantins Lubavs was the first Kalamazoo County soldier to die in Vietnam; his brother and sister will be honored at the 5 p.m. ceremony.
The Vietnam War 50th Commemoration flag will fly over Portage City Hall in lieu of the city’s own flag for the day as well.
On March 29, 1973, the last combat troops were withdrawn from Vietnam and the last prisoners of war held in North Vietnam arrived on American soil. Puerto Rico and 42 states have recognized this date as Vietnam Veterans Day by resolution or legislation. Michigan was not among those 42 states.
On May 28, 2016, the cities of Portage and Kalamazoo issued a joint proclamation at a ceremony held at the Air Zoo which set aside a full year in honor of Vietnam-era veterans and their families. The March 29 ceremonies are organized by the local units of the Children of the American Revolution (the Ki-Ka-Ma-Sung Society) and the Daughters of the American Revolution (the Lucinda Hinsdale Stone Chapter), which also hosted the 2016 ceremony at the Air Zoo.